Conveyer system



June 1, 1937.

c. 5. JENNINGS 2,082,206

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 29, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllll HI lllll ll] lllllll June 1, 1937. Q 5, JENNINGS 2,082,206

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 29, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1, 1937. c. 5. JENNINGS 2,082,205

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed D80. 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .aaw 2 6 gays.

June 1, 1937. as. JENNINGS 2,082,205

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 29, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CONVEYEB SYSTEM Chester S. Jennings, Syracuse, N. Y., asslgnor to The Lamson Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 29, 1933, Serial No. 704,448

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer system and more particularly to a system wherein the load supporting elements keep the loads in planes parallel to a selected plane, usually horizontal,

while the loads are transported.

The primary object of this invention is to p'rovide a conveyer system which comprises an endless chain or similar elements, a plurality of load supporting cars carried by the chain, mechanism for guiding the cars around corners from;one

plane of travel to another and means for maintaining them with their load supporting ;surfaces at all times in planes parallel to a selected plane usuallyhorizontal.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in a conveyer of the type above mentioned wherein each car is fixed at one end only to the chains, the other end being free, supplementary means for engaging the free ends of the cars during their upward and downward travel and moving them positively in unison with the fixed ends of the cars; such supplementary means being in the embodiment hereinafter described, of two types, to wit; intermediate sprocketsdriven in unison with the chain sprockets and auxiliary chains traveling in unison with the main chain.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for steadying the cars in case any tipping takes place while passing around the corners of the conveyer.

Other objects will appear from a consideration of the following description of one embodiment of this invention adapted for use in a shoe factory and of the illustration of such embodiment in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a conveyer system embodying this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged elevation views of two of the riser units in such system;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 on a somewhat larger scale;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation view of one end of such system;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of such end; Figs. '7 and 8 are respectively side elevation and plan views of a. portion of an auxiliary chain;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of the end sprockets for an auxiliary chain;

Fig. 10 is a similar view of an intermediate sprocket;

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a holding guide in front and side elevations respectively; and

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 illustrate a typical rack car 55 for the system shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 13 being a plan view of a portion of the car, Fig. 14 being a front elevation thereof and Fig. 15 being a cross sectional view taken along the line i5-l5 of FIG. 14.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a typical in stallation embodying this invention wherein cars 20 travel in both horizontal and vertical planes while the load transporting surfaces thereof remain at all times level, i. e. as here shown horizontal. The cars are secured to an endless chain 2| and travel in tracks defined along the horizontal stretches by rails 22 and along the vertical stretches by rails 23 and 24. The direction of travel of the cars in the installation shown in Fig. 1 is indicated by arrows placed thereon, the 15 cars moving upward through the riser units 25 and downward through the riser units 26. The chain 2| travels around end sprockets 21 one at least of which is driven in the usual way and is guided through the riser units 25 and 26 by sprockets 28.

As will be pointed out below the direction of travel may be reversed when desired. In the selected illustration the cars are raised from and then returned to a definite level to carry them over an aisle or over some obstacle but obviously as the vertical travel might be for other purposes such as for instance to raise or lower the cars from one floor or level to another. Furthermore the upward and downward paths of travel, al- J though shown and described as vertical might g be inclined or'curved should necessity arise and it will be understood that the reference herein to vertical paths includes any paths along which the cars might be raised or lowered.

The installation shown in Fig. 1 is for the pur- 35 pose of handling shoes in a shoe factory and the cars 20 (Figs. 13, 14 and 15) are of the shoe rack type shown and described in the copending application of Perry and Jennings, Serial No. 686,814, filed August 25, 1933. Each car 20 com- 40 prises a support 30 and paddles 3i removably secured to the support and on which rest the shoes being carried. Fixed to the back of the support 3|! adjacent each end are a pair of spaced wear plates 32 mounted upon a sleeve 33 and a freely 45 rotatable wheel 34 mounted between each pair of plates 32. As shown in Fig. 15 the wheel 34 rides on the edges of the rails which define the tracks and is held thereon by the wear plates 32 which extend over both sides of the rails. The car is 5 fixed at one end to the chain 2| by a pin 35 which passes through the sleeve 33 at that end while the other end of the car is free from the chain. A stud 36 fixed in the sleeve 33 at the other end of the car terminates short of the 5 chain. Formed in the support 38 near the ends thereof are pairs of pockets 31, the pair near the free end of the car carrying car cams 38 and the pair near the fixed end of the car carrying positioning plates 33. The cam 38 and plate 38 are identical at the inner ends and may be inserted in any pocket 31 their location merely depending upon which end of the car is fixed directly to the chain and differ from each other only by the provision at the outer end of the cam 38 of a nose 85 which completes a recess 4|.

Each riser comprises a frame provided with a main track, defined by the rails 23 and 24, behind which the chain 2| travels and a supplementary track defined by the rails 50 and 5|. An auxiliary chain 52 passes around end sprockets 53 and one run thereof travels behind the supplementary track in the same direction and at the same rate of speed as the'main chain travels behind the main track. The sprocket 28 and one of the sprockets 53 are positively driven in unison by any suitable means such as a spur gear which meshes with gears (not shown) fixed to the sprocket shafts. The chain 52 (see Figs. 7 and 8) comprises alternately arranged links 58 and 51, the former being a bar having a curved inner edge, the latter being two plates secured at either side of the bar. A recess 58 is formed in each link at the outer face of the chain. The sprockets 53 (see Fig. 9) have at their periphery a plurality of arcuate depressions 58 in which the links 55 rest and intermediate portions 55 which extend between the plates of the links 51 and bear upon the ends of the link bars 56. Between the sprockets 53 are mounted guide rails 53 against which the inner faces of the links 55 rest and past which both sides of the plates of the links 51 extend.

Mounted in the frame of each riser unit between and in alignment with sprockets 28 and 53 is a notched sprocket 85 driven from the sprocket 28 by a spur gear 55 which meshes with gears mounted upon the shafts of the sprockets 28 and 65. The sprocket 55 has arcuate depressions 59 like the sprocket 53, and teeth 5| which separate the depressions and are provided with notches 52 which register with recesses 58 in the link plates 51 and are adapted to receive the studs 35 of the cars. Associated with each of the end sprockets 21 over which the chain 2| travels is a. notched intermediate sprocket 10 which is driven in unison therefrom through a gear assembly II or similar mechanism and which engages the stud 35 on each car and thus moves the free end of the car in unison with the fixed end as the latter is carried by the chain around the end sprocket. In the illustrated installation each sprocket I8 is at the right of a sprocket 21. A face plate 12 fixed to the frame in front of the sprocket 21 coacts with the studs to insure their location in the notches of the sprockets 10. Behind the sprockets 10 at the left hand end of the installation and in alignment with the sprocket 21 is mounted a bar 13 on which the chain 2| rests and by which the fixed end of the car is held against shifting. The rotation of the sprockets 55 and I0 is so timed that the stud of each car will enter one of the notches therein. It will be understood that each of the sprockets 55 and Ill coacts with the adjacent chain sprocket to move the free end of a car in unison with the fixed end thereof which is carried by the chain around that sprocket.

Projecting from the frame adjacent each of the corners thereof are guides 15 and 15. The guide 15 which is curved and the guide I5 which is straight coact with the car cams 33 to direct the travel of the free ends of the cars as will be pointed out below. Guides 15 alone are provided at the bottom of both right hand units, guides I5 alone are provided'at the top of such units, at the bottom of both left hand units, and at the top and bottom of the sprocket 21 and wheel 10 assembly at the right end of the installation, and both guides 15 and 15 are provided at the top of the left hand units and at the top and bottom of the sprocket 21 and wheel 18 assembly at the left end of the installation. At each of the corners of the installation are mounted on the frame holding guides 11 having tongues 18 spaced from and parallel to the face of the frame for purposes hereinafter described.

The operation of the illustrated installation will be described in connection with the travel of a car 20 starting at the left end of Fig. l and traveling in accordance with the arrows applied thereon. It will be understood that at the start the forward end of the car is free and that the rearward end is fixed to the chain. The ear travels through the path defined by the guides 22, the free end passing below the sprockets 28 and 55 of the riser unit- 25. The guide 15 enters the recess 4| in the car cam 38 to prevent the free end of the car from entering the main track of the riser. As the'fixed end is carried by the chain 2| around the sprocket 28 into the main path defined by the rails 23 and 24 the notch in one tooth of the sprocket 55 receives the stud 35-of the car and raises the free end of the car into the supplementary path defined by the rails 50 and 5|. The upward movements of both ends of the cars take place simultaneously. As the free end of the car is raised by the sprocket 55 the plates of one of the links 51 of the auxiliary chain 52 pass at opposite sides of .the teeth of the sprocket 85 and receive the stud 38 of the car in one of the recesses 58. The upward movement of the free end of the car is thus continued in unison with that of the fixed end. When the car reaches the top of the riser unit 25 the cam 38 at the free end passes upwardly.

car from entering the main track of the riser.

The ends of the car are caused to travel in unison down the main and supplementary tracks of the riser unit by the chain 2| and the auxiliary chain 52 in the manner previously described so that the car remains horizontal. In making the turn at the right hand end of the installation the cam 38 engages the guide 18 so that the free end of the car is prevented from entering the main track and passes around the wheel 78. Thereafter the car proceeds with the free end in the rear. The guide 15 at the bottom of the riser 25 engages the cam 38 and directs the free end of the car to the sprocket 55. The upward travel of the car is the same as that already described in connection with the left hand unit 25. Upon arriving at the top of the unit thev car is then moved horizontally to the left hand riser unit 25, the guide 15 at the top of the unit 25 preventing the free end of the car from dropping into the main track of the riser unit. As the car arrives at the top of theunlt 28, the guides I5 and i6 coact to direct the free end of the car into engagement with the auxiliary chain 52. The car thus descends through the unit while remaining horizontal, is advanced by the chain to the left hand end of the installation directed by the guides 15 and 16 around the sprocket I and retugns to the starting point. If desired the chain m y-be driven in the opposite direction and the car will pass through the risers while in a level Or horizontal position. This will be apparent from an examination of the drawings and will not be set forth herein.

It will be understood in this description of the car travel that the positioning plates 39 are so formed that they will normally pass the guides I and I6 without contacting therewith. In order to prevent such contactdue to a tilting on account of vibration or the like the holding guides 11 are provided which in case of any tipping, engage the plates 39 thus steadying the car and preventing the plates- 39 from contacting with the guides I5 and 16 at the corners oi the installation,

While one embodiment of this invention is adapted for the transportation of shoes in a shoe factory it will be understood that I am not limited thereto and that other embodiments of the invention and other uses thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A conveyer system wherein load supporting cars travel along horizontal, upward and downward paths, comprising an endless main chain, sprockets, over which said chain passes located at the corners of the system where the cars change their direction of travel, a plurality of cars each fixed to said chain adjacent one end. the other end being free, a stud adjacent the free end of each car, and means adjacent said sprockets and driven in unison therewith to engage the studs of the cars and maintaining the cars, as they travel around said corners and during their upward and downward travel, in planes parallel to those in which they travel horizontally, said means including an auxiliary chain having links each consisting of two bars with notches in the outer face of the link, in which notches the studs of the cars are received during the upward and downward travel thereof.

2. A conveyer system wherein load supporting cars travel along horizontal, upward and downward paths, comprising an endless main chain, sprockets, over which said chain passes located at the corners of the system where the cars change their direction of travel, a plurality of cars each fixed to said chain adjacent one end, the other end being free, a stud adjacent the free end of each car, and means adjacent said sprockets and driven in unison therewith to engage the studs of the cars and maintaining the 1 cars, as they travel around said corners and during their upward and downward travel, in planes parallel to those in which they travel horizontally, said means including an auxiliary chain having links each consisting of two bars with notches in the outer face of the link, one run of which auxiliary chain travels parallel to and in the same direction as the main chain and removably receives in the notches of the links the studs of the cars during the upward and downward movement thereof.

3. A conveyer system wherein load supporting cars travel along horizontal upward and downward paths, comprising an endless main chain, sprockets, over which said chain passes, located at the corners of the system where the cars change their direction of travel, a plurality of cars each fixed to said chain amacent one end, the other end being free, a stud adjacent the free end of each car, and means adjacent said sprockets and driven in unison therewith to engage the studs of the cars and maintaining the cars, as they travel around said comers and during their upward and downward travel, in planes parallel to those in which they travel horizontally, said means including a sprocket having spaced depressions therein in which depressions the studs of the cars are received and the free ends moved in unison with the movement of the fixed ends by the main chain as it passes around the adjacent corner sprocket and auxiliary chain to which the studs of the cars pass from the sprocket so that both ends of the cars are raised in unison by the main and auxiliary chains.

4. In a conveyer system wherein ears fixed at one end to a main chain are transported, a riser unit comprising a frame, rails secured thereto and defining a main track behind which the main chain travels and a supplementary track parallel to the main track, an auxiliary chain one run of which travels behind the supplementary track said auxiliary chain being adapted to engage the free ends of the cars and coacting with the main chain to move said cars through the riser unit, and means for raising the free end of the car into engagement with the auxiliary chain.

5. In-a conveyor system wherein cars fixed at one end to a main chain are transported, a riser unit comprising a frame, rails secured thereto and defining a main track behind which the main chain travels and a supplementary track parallel to the main track, a sprocket around which the main chain passes into the riser unit, an auxiliary chain, one run of which travels behind the supplementary track said auxiliary chain being adapted to engage the free ends of the cars and coacting with the main chain to move said cars through the riser, and an intermediate sprocket which engages the free end of the car and raises it in engagement with the auxiliary chain.

6. In a conveyer system wherein cars fixed at one end to a main chain are transported, a riser unit comprising a frame, rails secured thereto and defining a main track behind which the main chain travels and a supplementary track parallel to the main track, a sprocket around which the main chain passes into the riser unit, an

auxiliary chain, one run of which travels behind I the supplementary track said auxiliary chain being adapted to engage the free ends of the cars and coacting with the main chain to move said cars through the riser, an intermediate sprocket which engages the free end of the car and raises it in engagement with the auxiliary chain, and means for driving said intermediate sprocket in unison with said main chain sprocket.

'7. In a conveyer system wherein cars fixed at one end to a main chain and having projecting studs at the free ends, are transported by the main chain through a track having horizontal lengths and corners therein, said cars having car cams at the free ends and positioning plates at the fixed ends, sprockets with which said chain engages at the corners of the tracks, intermediate sprockets driven by said chain sprockets and havmain chain through a track having horizontal lengths and corners therein, said cars having car cams at theiree ends and positioning pl tes at the fixed ends, sprockets with which sai chain engages at the corners of the tracks, intermediate sprockets driven by said vchain sprockets and having notches which receive the studs at the free ends of the cars, guides adjacent the corners with which the cams at the free ends of the cars engage to direct the free ends of the cars toward the intermediate sprockets, and holding guides fixed adjacent the track at the corners and having projecting fingers, the positioning plates on the cars normally pass freely over the first mentioned guides and behind the fingers of the second mentioned guides, said fingers in case the cars tip engaging the positioning plates and preventing them from contacting with the first mentioned guides.

9. A conveyer system comprising an endless main chain having horizontal. runs, an upward run and a downwardrun, a plurality oi cars fixed to said chains at predetermined intervals, mechanism for engaging and maintaining the cars horizontal while turning the corners, and a plurality of auxiliary chains one adjacent the upward run and the other adjacent the downward run for engaging the cars and maintaining them horizontal during their upward and downward travel.

CHESTER 8. JENNINGS. 

